


don't let the tide come and take me

by mrsenjolras



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst, Divorce, Hospitals, Kid Fic, M/M, Major Character Injury, angst angst angst with a small side of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-27
Updated: 2017-10-27
Packaged: 2019-01-23 22:00:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12517512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mrsenjolras/pseuds/mrsenjolras
Summary: “If that’s,” Liam stops, clears his throat, “if that’s what you really want.”No! Harry's heart screams. It's not! And it isn't, really, what he wants is to go back to when they were happy, when Harry knew when Liam was coming home and what he was up to, when Teddy always had both his dads home to tuck him in. “It is what I want,” he says, and officially breaks his own heart in two.[Or: the one where Harry and Liam break up, sort of.]





	don't let the tide come and take me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Lirryonce](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lirryonce/gifts).



> so i wrote this in four days and i'm not sure how that happened but it's entirely amanda's fault.
> 
> please forgive me for this being unbeta'd and for my complete lack of any medical knowledge.
> 
> title from niall's song the tide (go stream his album!)

Harry sighs, rubbing at his eyes harshly before he checks his watch. “Teddy, time for bed,” he calls into the other room, where he can hear the four year old playing with his toy cars.

“But Dad,” the boy calls back, running into the other room. “Daddy isn't home yet.”

“I know,” Harry says, and he _does_ know. He knows the way Liam’s been getting home later and later lately, the way Harry's stopped even cooking dinner for three since Liam eats at the station almost every night, the way this is the fifth night in a row Liam hasn't been home to tuck their son into bed. “But I don't know when he'll be home, and you have school in the morning.”

Teddy relents with a monumental pout, lifting his arms in the air so Harry will pick him up. He does, even though Teddy’s getting a bit big for it, because his boy needs the comfort right now, and though Harry won't admit it, he needs it too.

“Is Daddy at work?” Teddy asks as Harry tucks him in, teeth brushed and Spider-Man pajamas on. 

“I think so,” Harry says, brushing some of Teddy’s hair off his forehead, and that's what Harry hates the most. That he can't even give a firm answer to that question. Can't say _yes, baby, Daddy’s working now and he's busy, but next week he’ll be home like normal_ , because he doesn't even _know_ where his husband is right now. But Teddy shouldn't be dragged into all of that; Teddy is the best part of Harry's life these days and Harry will do anything to protect him, including lying about what Liam’s doing.

“Will he come say goodnight when he gets home?” Teddy asks, already half asleep, and Harry leans in to brush a kiss across the boy’s forehead, blinking rapidly to clear the tears that had rushed to his eyes. 

“I hope so,” Harry whispers, but when he looks, Teddy’s already asleep.

*

Harry’s sitting in the kitchen, cup of tea in front of him, when Liam gets home that night. He's been sitting there waiting since shortly after Teddy went to bed, racking his mind and trying to figure out where he and Liam went wrong.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly, because he and Liam had always been so solid, from practically the moment they met in Harry's first year of uni. Liam had already been a year into his firefighter training, and happened to live in the same building as Louis, who Harry knew through some shared classes. Louis essentially bothered Liam into being his friend, then teased Harry so much about the fit fireman who lived in his building that by the time they met at one of Louis’ parties it only took Harry about half a drink until he jumped Liam's bones.

They’d fallen into a relationship after that, moved in together after six months, and Liam proposed on Harry's graduation day. Teddy came along another two years after that, and Harry had what he’d always wanted. Or so he thought, but now he's thinking and he can't even remember the last time they had sex; hell, this is the first night in a fair while he's stayed up waiting for Liam. 

He's not sure he knows how to live without Liam anymore, but he's starting to think he might need to learn.

“Babe?” Liam calls quietly, walking into the kitchen. “Hey, you're still up. Teddy asleep?”

“Yes,” Harry says shortly, angry that Liam thinks he can come in and talk like it's any other day, like Harry hasn't been sat here trying to figure out just when exactly Liam got tired of him. “He asked for you.”

“I'll make it up to him tomorrow, take him for ice cream,” Liam says, puttering around the kitchen and making himself his own cup of tea.

“You can't just do that,” Harry says, frustrated.

“Can't do what?” Liam asks, shooting Harry a curious look.

“You can't just waltz in and spoil him with ice cream when you haven't been home for a _week_! You don't get to leave me to do all the hard work, to make him eat his veggies and do his homework and clean his room, and then come in on the weekend and say _hey buddy, let's go for a treat_! That's not how this works,” Harry explodes, tired and irritable and fed up.

“Harry, I know I've been gone a lot lately, but--”

“But what? Do you know something, Liam? He asked me where you were tonight, and I couldn't even tell him! Because I didn't _know_ , and how fucking pathetic is that? I'm sitting at home, waiting around, not even knowing where my husband, where my son’s _father_ , is!” He lets out a bitter laugh. “What a fucking cliché.”

“What are you saying?” Liam asks cautiously. The kettle starts to go off in the background. Neither of them move to shut it off. 

“I don't know,” Harry says. “All I know is that you don't care anymore.”

“ _Excuse me_? I don't care anymore? Harry, that's fucking bullshit. You don't know what I've been--”

“Well why don't I know? Why won't you tell me? Why do I have to call _Louis_ when I want to find out where the fuck you are? Tell me, Liam, are you married to him or to me?” Harry spits out, and he's talking out of his ass now, he knows Liam doesn't think about Louis that way, knows Louis doesn't feel like that either, but his hurt and his insecurities are all converging into one big hole in his stomach that only grows the further he pushes Liam away.

“ _Louis_? What the hell are you even talking about here?”

“These days it's like you're more committed to him than you are to us!” Harry practically yells, before he forces himself quieter for Teddy’s sake. “I don't want Teddy to grow up with a father who's only half there, Liam.”

Liam finally shuts the kettle off, and the quiet that ensues in the kitchen is deafening. “What do you want me to do?” Liam asks lowly.

“I want you to leave. I want--I want a separation,” he chokes out, desperately wanting to get through this without bursting into tears. “You can still see Teddy, I won't keep him from you, but I--I don't think it's the best idea for you to stay here right now.”

Harry finally looks up from where he had been staring at the wood of the kitchen table. Liam looks crushed, heartbroken. _Good_ , a sick part of Harry says. _Now you know how it feels_.

“If that’s,” Liam stops, clears his throat, “if that’s what you really want.”

 _No!_ Harry's heart screams. _It's not!_ And it isn't, really, what he wants is to go back to when they were happy, when Harry knew when Liam was coming home and what he was up to, when Teddy always had both his dads home to tuck him in. “It is what I want,” he says, and officially breaks his own heart in two.

Liam leaves, packs his things in an overnight bag and says he's going to stay at Louis’, and he's gone.

Harry cries himself to sleep that night, and every night after.

*

Three months later, and Liam comes over once a week to see Teddy, and takes him overnight every couple weeks, either taking him back to Louis’--where he’s apparently taken over the guest room--or bringing him up to Liam’s parents in Wolverhampton.

Teddy had been confused at first, not sure why Daddy was staying with Uncle Louis and not at home with them. He asked Harry a few times about it, even asked Liam the first couple times he came for visits if he was coming home to stay, but they had explained a few times that Daddy wasn’t going to be at home for a while, but he still loves him a lot and they’ll still see each other. It’s been long enough now that Teddy doesn’t ask anymore, just cuddles up to Harry on the couch after Liam’s left.

Though Harry’s seen Liam every week, they’ve barely spoken--really only quick hellos when Liam comes to see Teddy. Harry spends the afternoons Liam comes over usually holed up in his studio, editing photos and making sure to avoid as much interaction with Liam as possible. He trips up this week, though, his rumbling stomach getting the best of him, and Liam corners him in the kitchen while he’s waiting on the microwave to finish heating up his leftovers from last night. 

“Hey, Harry, how are you?” he asks, reaching into the fridge to grab a juice box for Teddy and a soda for himself. 

“Fine,” Harry says shortly, glaring at the microwave to try to make it move faster. It resolutely stays counting down at its normal pace. “Why?” 

Liam sighs from behind him. “Harry, just because we’re separated doesn’t mean I don’t still care about you. Last week when Teddy was staying with me, he said you’d been sad a lot.”

“We’re getting a divorce, Liam,” Harry says, spinning around. “Of course I’m sad.”

“So, it is a divorce, then?” Liam asks.

“What did you think it was?” Harry asks, incredulous. 

“I don’t know! I’m just following what you say. You told me you wanted me to leave, you wanted a separation, so I went. You told me I can see Teddy on these days, so I come see Teddy. Now you’re saying it’s a divorce, so I guess that’s what it is. I’m following your lead,” Liam says, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the counter. 

“I don’t--I don’t know what I want,” Harry confesses quietly. Liam huffs a laugh, grabs the drinks and pushes off the counter.

“Well, whenever you figure it out, feel free to give me a call,” he says, leaving Harry alone with his thoughts. The beep of the microwave startles him, and he shakes his head, trying to leave the conversation behind him and get back to work. 

*

Two weeks later, Harry hasn’t gotten any closer to making a decision--whether he wants a divorce or not. They’ve been stagnant, not even saying hello to each other when Liam comes to see Teddy. The problem is that part of Harry does want Liam to come home, wants to kiss him again and think it’ll be alright and work on their relationship. But the other part of him doubts whether or not that would even help, or if they’re totally a lost cause. And he’s scared to find out what the answer is to that question. 

He’s on a shoot one day, one eye on the clock as he tries to wrap it up before he needs to go get Teddy from school, when he gets a call. They’re on a break while the model goes through yet another outfit change, so he takes it. 

“Hello?”

“Hello, Mr. Styles? This is Deborah from Sherington Primary School. I’m just calling to inform you that Theodore had a bit of a run-in with some older students today,” the polite, posh voice on the other end says.

“A run-in? What happened?” Harry asks, trying to keep himself calm.

“Oh, well, he was out on the playground and some of the Year 1s decided amongst themselves that he was playing on the swings too long and they, well, they removed him from them.”

Harry sees red. “You’re telling me they bullied my son? Have they been reprimanded?”

“Yes, of course,” Deborah says swiftly. “And their parents have been contacted as well. But Theodore was a bit shaken by the whole thing, and we think it’s best he goes home for the day. We’ve already called your husband, he’s said he’ll be coming to pick up your son in a bit.”

Harry pauses for a second, stuck on the word _husband_ , before it processes. “Alright, thank you for letting me know,” he says, ending the call swiftly before opening his messaging app. He scrolls to his thread with Liam, taking a moment to stare at the last messages they had sent ( _ **will b a bit late 4 teddy today soz**_ and a simple _**ok**_ in response) before opening a new message. 

_**School just called. She better not be lying to me about punishing those kids.** _

_**omw to get him now. gunna give them a piece of my mind bc that’s bullshit they let that happen** _

_**Good. I’m trapped at a shoot but will be home as soon as I can.** _

**_k see u soon_ **

**_Give Teddy a kiss from me._ **

**_of course xx_ **

Harry closes the app, not sure what to do with that last text. Besides the fact that that was the most he had spoken to Liam since their conversation in the kitchen and the fact that they had actually agreed on something for the first time in a long while, the two kisses Liam had tacked on to the last text leave Harry shaken. It used to be so common for them, never sending a text without at least one kiss in it. It’s a callback to _before_ , as Harry’s taken to calling the time prior to the separation, the time he’s done his best to put into a small box in the back of his brain never to be opened except for late at night when he’s alone and Teddy is asleep down the hall. 

“Harry, we’re ready again!” One of the assistants on set calls out, and Harry forcibly pushes everything out of his mind and picks up his camera, getting back to work. 

*

Harry rushes home the minute the shoot is over, eager to see Teddy and make sure he’s alright with his own eyes, though Liam had sent him a text when he got Teddy from the school. He opens the door, ready to call out a greeting, when he hears the sound of Teddy’s laughter coming down the hall from the living room. He toes his shoes off at the door, walking silently down the hall until he comes to the living room door and peeks inside. 

Liam and Teddy are sat on the floor, Teddy cuddling his stuffed bear, Panda, and Liam in front of him with another of Teddy’s stuffed animals in his hands. He’s making it talk to Teddy, moving it around and putting on a high-pitched voice. Teddy is giggling up a storm, burying his face in Panda’s fur to try to stifle them. Liam himself has a wide grin on his face, reaching a hand out to tickle at Teddy’s stomach, causing him to squeal with laughter. 

Harry stands in the doorway, small smile growing on his face as he takes in the scene. He’s struck, not for the first time, at how good Liam is with their kid. How, despite everything, Harry’s glad Teddy has a dad like Liam.

He’s still watching them when Teddy’s eyes light upon him standing in the doorway. “Dad!” he calls, and Harry steps into the room. 

“Hiya, love,” he says softly. He walks into the room, skirting around Liam to get to Teddy and wraps the boy up in a big hug. “I heard what happened at school today. Are you alright?”

“Mhm,” Teddy nods. “Daddy came and got me and he yelled at the people at school which was _so cool_ and then we came home and Daddy told me about how when he was my age sometimes, um, sometimes the kids at school would tease him like they did today.”

“Did he?” Harry asks, glancing at Liam, who’s taken an interest in the carpet, though there’s a redness to his cheeks that’s telling.

“Yeah, but he was always strong and stood up to them and that's why he does his job saving people now!” Teddy finishes with a big grin, and Harry can't help but lean forward and kiss his nose. 

“That’s right,” he says, and he smiles over at Liam, who’s watching the two of them now with a fond look on his face. The moment is so reminiscent of before the separation that Harry loses his breath a moment. Something must show on his face, because Liam’s face falls a bit and then he starts to get up. 

“I should probably go,” he says, wiping his hands on his jeans. 

“No, Daddy,” Teddy whines, bottom lip sticking out in a pout, and part of Harry wants to do the same.

“Aw, come on, bud, don't give me that look,” Liam says, leaning down and picking Teddy up in a hug. He whispers something in Teddy’s ear and Teddy nods, looking back at Liam with a serious look on his face. Then Liam swings him around so he's laughing again and sets him down on the ground. Harry rises so he can walk Liam to the door.

“Thanks again for getting him today,” Harry says, hovering awkwardly as Liam puts his shoes and jacket on.

“It's no problem, really, Harry,” Liam looks at him imploringly, but Harry just shrugs. Liam sighs. “Hey, I know I was supposed to take him this weekend but Mikey called out sick and they put me on call at the station.”

“That's fine,” Harry says, though he knows Teddy will be disappointed come Friday. That's trouble for another day, though. “You'll still come next week?”

“Course,” Liam says. He pauses for a moment, and Harry thinks he's about to say something, but he shakes his head a bit and turns to the door. “See you then.”

“Bye, Liam,” Harry says softly just before Liam closes the door behind him. He stands there for a bit, looking at where Liam had stood, before Teddy calls for him from the other room.

*

The ringing of Harry's phone wakes him. He doesn't know what time it is, only knows that he needs to make that noise stop, and _now_.

“Hello?” he says groggily when he answers.

“Is this Harry Styles?” comes an unfamiliar voice from the other side.

“Yes, who's this?” Harry asks, glancing over at the clock on his bedside table. 3:47 AM. Jesus.

“This is Mary at St. George’s Hospital. Your husband, Liam Payne, was just brought into our A&E and he has you listed as his emergency contact.”

Harry sits right up in bed, now wide awake, heart pounding fast. “What's happened? Is he alright?” 

“I'm afraid I can't answer that for you, Mr. Styles. He was only brought in about five minutes ago with some serious injuries related to a firefighting call he was on. They've taken him right into surgery. A doctor would be better able to answer your questions when you get here,” Mary says on the other end of the line.

“Yes, of course, thank you for calling me,” Harry responds, hoping he doesn't sound too hysterical. As soon as Mary’s hung up he dials the first number he can think of. 

“Niall?” he says, when the line clicks through.

“Hi, Harry,” Niall says, and he sounds sombre, and no, _no_ that’s all wrong, because Niall has never been anything but extremely chipper with Harry, so his tone can only mean one thing. 

“Were you there?” Harry asks quickly. “What happened?”

“It was a house fire, too big to be contained. The building was already unstable, but there was a kid trapped inside, upstairs. Liam went and got him but the stairs collapsed on the way down and Liam fell through. I'm sorry, Harry, I don't know anything about his condition,” Niall says, and Harry can only imagine what it was like for him to see that. He and Liam had always been close, starting at the station around the same time and quickly becoming thick as thieves.

“The kid, is he--?” Harry can't finish the sentence, has a sinking feeling in his stomach before Niall answers.

“He's okay, Liam passed him off to me before he fell. Harry, I think Liam--the boy was about four, I think Liam was thinking of Teddy.”

Harry lets out a sob, not able to hold it in anymore, not when his husband-- _his husband, dammit_ \--is in hospital because he always had to be the noble one, always had to risk his life for others’.

 _He was always brave and stood up to them and that's why he does his job saving people now!_ Teddy's words from just a few short days ago ring in Harry's ears and he lets out another wracking sob before he pulls himself together. He thanks Niall, hangs up the phone and forces himself out of bed, putting on clothes before heading down the hall to Teddy’s room. Just before he opens the door he sends a prayer up to whatever power might be listening that his son won't lose his father tonight.

Harry steps in the room, standing still for a moment and looking at his son, gently illuminated by his night light, before walking forward and kneeling by his bed. 

“Teddy, darling,” he whispers, reaching a hand out to grasp Teddy’s shoulder gently. “Wake up.”

Teddy starts to wake slowly, kicking his legs around before he finally blinks his eyes open. “Dad?” he asks quietly, before his eyes focus fully on Harry's face. “Dad,” he asks again, voice a bit more alarmed, “why are you crying?”

Harry hadn't realized he was still crying, though now that he thinks about it he can feel the tears streaming down his face. He rubs a hand under his eyes though he knows it's futile. “Something’s happened, baby.”

Teddy curls his body tighter around Panda, reaching one arm out to Harry so Harry can take his hand. “Something bad?”

“Yes, sweetheart,” Harry says, then takes a shuddery breath. He presses Teddy’s hand to his mouth, leaving a couple kisses there before he continues. “You know how Daddy has his brave job of saving people? Well sometimes people who do that job get hurt, and tonight--tonight your daddy got hurt. He's in hospital now, we're going to go and see him, okay?”

“Will he be okay?” Teddy asks, wide brown eyes boring into Harry.

“I'm not sure, baby,” Harry says, even though it feels like the fear of losing Liam is choking him. 

“Can I,” Teddy pauses for a second and glances around the room, looking lost. Harry feels the same way. “Can I bring Panda? He always makes me feel better when I'm sick, I think he can help Daddy get better.” Teddy finishes finally and Harry is struck, not for the first time, at how bloody amazing his kid is.

“Yes, darling, I think Daddy would like that very much,” Harry says before leaning in and kissing Teddy’s forehead. “Now let's get going.” He picks Teddy up and sets about getting their things, not even bothering to change Teddy out of his Paw Patrol pajamas, simply slipping his boots and coat on right over them. He sets him up in his car seat and then gets into the front. Just before he starts the car, Harry glances back at Teddy in the rear view mirror and sees Teddy staring mournfully back at him, hands clutched in Panda’s fur. 

Apparently London’s ever-present traffic takes a break at four in the morning on a Sunday, because they arrive at St. George’s with no trouble, and Harry quickly parks before getting Teddy out of the backseat and holding him tight as he rushes for the A&E.

He walks right up to the desk as soon as he gets in, Teddy and Panda still on his hip. “Hi, I got a call a little bit ago saying my husband was here? Liam Payne?” he asks the nurse at the desk, and she glances at him, eyes going a bit soft as she takes in Teddy leaning against his shoulder.

She clicks around on her computer for a bit. “I believe he's still in surgery right now,” she says. “You're welcome to wait here, and we'll get a doctor out to speak to you as soon as possible.”

“Thank you,” Harry says, and he takes Teddy over to some chairs to wait.

“Dad?” Teddy asks softly. “Will we stay until Daddy is better?”

“Yes, honey,” Harry answers, pressing a kiss to the crown of Teddy’s head. “We'll wait as long as we need to.”

*

Teddy falls asleep shortly after that, head resting on Harry’s thighs, and it's while he's looking at his son that Harry realizes the hospital probably hadn't called Karen and Geoff.

He pulls his phone out carefully, hovering over Karen’s contact for a bit before pressing the call button. It rings long enough that Harry's not sure whether she'll pick up before it finally clicks through. 

“Hello?” she says, and her voice sounds like she's just woken up.

“Karen?” Harry says, voice gravelly and choked from tears.

“Harry? Is that you? Is everything alright?” she says, and Harry wonders for a moment at how she doesn't seem to be angry with him, though he's probably broken her son’s heart.

“No, I--,” Harry pauses, sucks in a breath, “I'm at the hospital right now. Liam was hurt on call tonight, they called me because I'm still his emergency contact.”

“Oh, my God,” Karen says, a bit choked, and Harry can hear rustling on the other end of the line and what sounds like Geoff’s voice asking what's going on. “Do you know if he’ll be alright?”

“No, they've still got him in surgery. They haven't told me anything. I'm sorry,” Harry says, and he's not just apologizing for not knowing, but for everything. Everything he's done to hurt her son.

“Where's Teddy?”

“He's with me, he's sleeping right now. He's been really good, so brave,” Harry says, and he has to bite back another sob when he looks down at the sleeping boy in his lap.

“Alright, we'll come down right now. We should be there in a few hours. Text with any updates. And Harry?” she pauses, waits for Harry to make a noise in response before continuing, “Take care of yourself.”

Harry nods, too choked up to reply, before he remembers she can't see him. “I will. See you soon,” he says, and she says the same before they hang up.

Harry leans back against the wall, eyes closed, and lets out a long breath.

*

He must fall asleep, because the next thing he knows the nurse from before is shaking his shoulder gently. “Mr. Styles?” she says when he opens his eyes. “Dr. Fitzpatrick is here, he can give you an update on your husband’s condition.”

Harry sits up, but stills when Teddy stirs in his lap. The nurse--Sandra, her nametag says--smiles gently at him. “I can keep an eye on him while you speak with the doctor?” she offers, and Harry smiles at her gratefully. He carefully shifts Teddy off his lap and onto the chair next to him before he stands, stretching his legs out a bit before he walks towards the doctor standing by the doors into the emergency ward.

“Mr. Styles?” the man asks when Harry gets close, and Harry nods. His stomach is flipping over so much he thinks he might be sick, and he prays and prays that the next words out of this man’s mouth aren't _I'm sorry_. “Your husband was very lucky. He got here just in time.” 

“He's okay?” Harry asks, knees almost buckling under the relief.

“He should be. His injuries were serious, he fell from the first floor down into the basement, breaking his left arm and leg, and a beam fell on top of him as well which essentially shattered the left side of his ribs. One of those ribs punctured a lung, and he also had some internal bleeding from the fall. Luckily his gear prevented him from getting too serious burns, though he does have some on his neck and hands. We've taken him for an MRI and we believe he might have a concussion as well, but hopefully not too serious. We had him in surgery for his lung and ribs and we also put a pin in his leg because it was pretty seriously broken. We want to keep him in the ICU for the next few days to monitor him but then we can move him into a normal unit,” the doctor explains and Harry can't even begin to process all of that information. The only thought running through his head is _he's alive_.

“Is he awake?” Harry asks hopefully, but the doctor shakes his head. 

“He should be coming off the anaesthesia soon, but that's not a guarantee he'll wake up immediately. It's unclear how serious his concussion is right now, it's possible his body might enter a comatose state to heal.”

“Okay, can we see him?” Harry doesn’t care if Liam’s asleep, he needs to see him, needs to make sure for himself that he’ll be alright. 

The doctor nods, and Harry thanks him, turning back to get Teddy, who’s still asleep where Harry left him, Sandra sitting in the chair Harry had vacated. He walks over and crouches down in front of Teddy, reaching out to wake him up. “Teddy?” he calls gently, and Teddy blinks his eyes open. Harry smiles at him. “Hey, buddy.”

“Dad? Is Daddy okay?” Teddy asks, and he squeezes Panda a bit tighter. 

“Yes, honey, he will be. He’s asleep right now but the doctor says we can go and see him,” Harry explains, and Teddy nods, sitting up immediately. Harry picks him up, walking over to the doctor, who gives him and Teddy a slight smile before leading him back into the ward. 

*

Harry has to hold himself back from crying all over again when the doctor leads them to Liam’s bed. He looks small, pale against the sheets, and his arm and leg are both wrapped in casts and elevated. There are probably bandages around his ribs as well, but they’re covered by the hospital gown he’s wearing. There’s an oxygen tube down his throat, and little cuts and bruises litter his face and arms. Teddy makes a small noise in his throat when he sees Liam, and Harry wonders whether it was a good idea to show him his dad looking like this. 

“You okay, love?” Harry murmurs, squeezing Teddy’s waist gently. Teddy nods, eyes not moving from Liam’s prone form, and Harry presses a kiss to his cheek before he steps a bit closer. “Remember the doctor said Daddy’s sleeping, but he might still be able to hear you. Do you want to say something?”

Teddy nods. “Um, hi, Daddy. I brought you Panda, ‘cause he always makes me feel better, but Dad says I should wait till you’re up to give him to you. But Dad and I are gonna wait for you to wake up, so you’re not gonna be alone. And, uh, I love you lots and I hope you get better soon,” he finishes and turns back to Harry with a nod. Harry smiles at him, gives him another kiss on the cheek, and moves to leave. “Wait, Dad,” Teddy says, and Harry pauses. “Aren’t you going to say anything to Daddy?”

“Oh,” Harry says. He looks back at Liam, lying on the bed and so, so broken, and his breath hitches. He clears his throat before he speaks, but his voice still comes out rough. “I love you, Liam. Please get better soon.”

Teddy squeezes his arms around Harry’s neck and Harry brings their heads together, Teddy’s forehead resting on Harry’s temple. They walk back to the waiting room like that.

Harry’s looking down when they get back into the waiting room, watching his old boots as they move across the linoleum, so he doesn’t see who else is there until Teddy calls out “Grandma! Grandpa!” He starts squirming in Harry’s arms, so Harry lets him down, and he immediately races for Karen, who picks him up in a big hug. She soon passes him off to Geoff, who gives him just as big of a hug, and then she heads straight for Harry. 

She pulls him in, and Harry falls into her embrace with a sob. He thought he had cried himself out, but apparently the familiar honeycomb scent that Karen always carries is enough to send him over the edge again, and soon he’s sobbing into her shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he says, and he’s not even sure what exactly he’s apologizing for. 

“You’ve got nothing to be sorry for,” Karen says, shushing him and running a hand up and down his back. 

“No,” Harry shakes his head, pulls back and rubs his sleeve under his nose to catch some of the snot dripping from his nose. “I do. I’m sorry I pushed Liam away and asked for the separation, I don’t really want a divorce, I don’t, and now he’s hurt and what if--” Harry sucks in a heaving breath, everything he’s been feeling for the last however many hours suddenly all coming out at once. “What if he doesn’t--”

Karen shushes him, pulling him back into a tight hug and rocking the both of them back and forth. “Shh, shh, Harry, no, don’t think like that. You don’t need to apologize, alright? Liam knows, sweetie, he knows you love him, I know he does.”

Harry can’t answer, too overcome, and he ends up sobbing into Karen’s shoulder some more. He knows the doctor said Liam will be okay, but he had looked so _small_ in that hospital bed, so destroyed, and all Harry can think about is that he can’t remember the last time he told Liam he loved him, barring that moment just now in the ICU. He feels like a failure, like the worst person alive, because the only thing that got him to get his head out of his ass is the fact that Liam almost _died_. 

Karen’s still shushing him gently, and Harry’s still sobbing all over her sweater, when he feels a tug at his pant leg. He pulls back and looks down to see Teddy standing next to him. Harry crouches down to his level, tears still falling from his eyes though his sobs have begun to slow. 

“I’m sorry, Teddy,” he says, reaching out and grabbing Teddy’s hands. “I’m sorry you haven’t seen Daddy as much lately, that he hasn’t been staying at home.” He’s sorry his own issues got in the way of Teddy’s relationship with Liam. 

“It’s okay, Dad,” Teddy says. “I just don’t want you to be sad anymore.”

Harry can’t help but huff out a laugh at that. “How can I be sad when I have a wonderful boy like you in my life?” he says, and Teddy grins back at him. Harry takes that smile as the boost he needs and finally pulls himself back together, standing and looking at Karen and Geoff. They’re both smiling softly at him, and Harry is--not for the first time--so grateful he has people like the Paynes in his life. 

“We just went in and saw him, um, the doctor can probably take you back. He’s asleep and all, but you can still see him,” Harry says, rubbing at the back of his neck and feeling awkward in the wake of his fairly public breakdown. 

“Alright, son, we’ll do that,” Geoff says, reaching out to squeeze Harry’s shoulder. “You and Teddy can stay here, yeah?”

Harry nods, sniffling, and takes Teddy over to some chairs in the corner as Karen and Geoff head back into the ICU to see Liam. Teddy immediately crawls into Harry’s lap with Panda, curling up comfortably against Harry’s chest. 

“You want a cuddle, Teddy Bear?” Harry asks, using the nickname Liam had come up for Teddy just days after they had brought him home. Teddy nods, and Harry wraps his arms around him, rocking them back and forth gently and humming. They stay like that for probably the next fifteen minutes, until Karen and Geoff come back from the ICU and walk over to them. Teddy’s nearly asleep, but he perks up again at the sight of his grandparents. 

“Is Daddy awake yet?” he asks when they’re near enough. 

“No, I’m afraid not, sweetheart,” Karen answers, sitting down in the chair next to them. “But I’m sure you’ll be the first person he wants to see when he wakes up.”

“Harry,” Geoff says from Harry’s other side. “Karen and I were thinking, and we’re both knackered from the drive down, we thought maybe we could take Teddy home and he can get some rest. You can stay if you want, call us with any updates.”

“Yeah, yeah that sounds good,” Harry says. “Hey, Teddy? You want to go home with Grandma and Grandpa? Get some sleep?”

“What?” Teddy says. “No!”

“Why not?”

“Because, because I have to be here for Daddy! You said we were going to stay until he was awake! I can’t leave!” Teddy seems to be working himself up into a proper strop, and Harry rushes to calm him before it blows up. 

“I know, darling, I know. But you need to be strong for Daddy, right? And you need your rest for that. You need to go with Grandma and Grandpa so you can get some sleep and I promise you can come back first thing in the morning. And if anything happens I’ll call you and you can come back, okay?” Harry says, and Teddy looks at him for a while before nodding. 

“You’ll call if Daddy wakes up?”

“Yes, baby, first thing I’ll do. You’ll be good for Grandma and Grandpa, right?” Teddy nods again and Harry pulls him in for one last hug and kiss before he passes him off to Karen. “I love you lots, darling, and I'll see you soon.” 

“I love you, too, Dad,” Teddy says from Karen’s arms, and he still doesn't seem too happy about leaving. Part of Harry feels bad, but the majority of him recognizes that there's no way he can deal with a sleep-deprived four year old on top of a husband in the ICU and his own stress. He waves goodbye to Karen and Geoff as they leave the waiting room and slumps back down in his chair as soon as they're out of sight.

*

He tries to sleep, but though he had managed it earlier it eludes him now, despite the fact that he must be twice as exhausted as when he first got to the hospital. Instead, he ends up curled in his chair staring at his phone, scrolling back through his photos far enough that he gets to pictures that feature Liam.

There's lots of him and Teddy, of course, pictures of them at the park on the swingset, pictures of Teddy on Liam’s shoulders while they cheer on Louis’ pub football team, pictures of Liam passed out on the couch, Teddy napping on his chest. The images make Harry’s heart clench, but not as much as the ones of him and Liam do.

There's one of the whole family from last Halloween, when he had stuck two rolls to the side of his head and gone as Princess Leia, Liam as Han Solo to his left and Teddy as a mini Luke Skywalker in front of them. Then there's pictures of just them, selfies Liam had forced him to take, sneaky photos of Liam snapped over the table at a restaurant on one of their rare nights out, even a few pictures that one of their friends must have taken on a pub night out, Teddy home with a sitter.

It's on one of these images that Harry gets stuck. It's a bit blurry, and the lighting isn't great, but Harry's more struck by how _happy_ they look. Liam has one arm slung around Harry's shoulders, other hand bringing a beer up to his smiling mouth. Harry's whispering something in his ear, grin practically splitting his face in half. They're surrounded by their friends but it's so clear they're in their own world, and Harry stares at the picture until his eyes start to water, and he's not sure if it's from looking at the screen for too long or from the reminder that Harry was that happy once and he threw it away.

*

Liam spends four days unconscious in the ICU. Harry never leaves the hospital. Karen and Geoff bring him an overnight bag of things from home, and the nurses take pity on him and let him use one of the showers once it becomes clear he has no intentions of leaving. Teddy comes during the day, a ray of sunshine for Harry and everyone else in the waiting room. Harry will usually take Teddy in to speak to Liam, then Karen and Geoff will take their turn. Though Harry has essentially made the waiting room his home, he never goes to see Liam alone.

Friends of theirs come by once they hear the news--Louis and Niall most frequently, followed by guys like Andy and Josh from the station. Mikey, the guy whose shift Liam had picked up the night of the accident, comes in one day and nearly falls at Harry's feet crying and apologizing. Harry's not sure what to do, so he just pats his shoulder awkwardly.

On the second day Harry breaks and calls his mum. She’d already heard about the accident from Karen, but was waiting for Harry to call before she made any move to come down. Harry calls her from the single-use restroom down the hall from the waiting room, sobbing so hard he's surprised she can even make out what he's saying. Less than an hour after they hang up she's on the train down from Manchester. 

She becomes his main companion in the waiting room, sitting with him and holding his hand quietly, sometimes venturing off to the hospital cafeteria and returning with sandwiches and cups of coffee.

Harry thinks the only two things he's capable of now are silence or tears. He's either sitting in the chair in the corner that's become _his_ , staring at the wall and not saying anything, or he's crying, usually in loud, heaving sobs into his mother’s shoulder. The doctors are saying Liam’s been improving, but he's still not _awake_ , and all Harry wants is to see Liam's brown eyes again.

The only break in Harry's tears-and-silence cycle is when Teddy comes in. Though the nights in the hospital are long and grueling, every morning when Teddy comes bounding into the waiting room it's like new life is breathed into Harry. He can get up, walk around, talk and even laugh with Teddy. The boy’s also managed to charm all the nurses on the ward, who sneak him sweets when they think Harry isn't watching. Harry would care a bit more if Teddy's smile--usually ringed with chocolate smudges--didn't brighten the room so much.

Towards the end of Liam’s fourth day in the ICU, Dr. Fitzpatrick comes out to talk to Harry. Though Liam’s still asleep, his condition has improved so much that they’re moving him out of the ICU and into a regular ward. It’s good news, the doctor insists, and Harry is sure he’s right, but he just wants Liam to wake up, because the sooner he wakes up the sooner he can get out of hospital and come home. Assuming he wants to. 

Harry’s trying hard not to assume what Liam wants, but it’s difficult when Harry knows what he himself wants so clearly, and that’s for Liam to come home where he belongs, with Harry and Teddy, and for them to be a happy family again. But he doesn’t know if that’s what Liam wants, so he tries not to let his imagination get the best of him.

*

Liam wakes up on his sixth day in hospital, the second day after they had moved him off the ICU and into a standard care unit. When he first wakes up, Harry is sat in the chair at Liam’s bedside, Teddy in his lap, and they watch as Liam blearily blinks his eyes open. 

“Daddy?” Teddy says excitedly, leaning forward, but Liam gives no indication he can hear him other than his eyes moving around confusedly. 

“Remember what the doctor said, baby,” Harry whispers. “The medicine means Daddy might not talk back, but he can hear.”

“Can I give him Panda now?” Teddy whispers back, and Harry nods. He picks Teddy up and shuffles them closer to the bed so Teddy can gingerly place Panda next to Liam’s unbandaged arm. “Here, Daddy, Panda will help you feel better. Dad, can I give him a kiss?” 

“Yes, sweetheart,” Harry says, and leans down until Teddy can reach to press a light kiss on Liam’s forehead. 

Liam’s lips twitch up in the hint of a smile before his eyes close and he falls asleep again. 

*

The next time Liam wakes up, he’s much more aware, but he’s also in a lot more pain than the first time. Harry stands in the corner, holding Teddy’s hand tightly, as the nurses bustle around Liam and take his vitals. They all work around Panda, who still sits by Liam’s left arm, probably because they’re all besotted with Teddy at this point. They finish up, and Dr. Fitzpatrick comes up to Harry and Teddy in the corner. 

“He’s in quite a bit of pain, but he’s lucid, and he should be able to respond to you. He’s got a button to press if he needs more medication, and there’s also a nurse call button if something happens. Other than that, it’s really only a matter of time. He’s healing quite well.” The doctor takes his leave, and Harry and Teddy approach Liam’s bed slowly. Once Teddy is close enough, he climbs right up on the bed and settles himself next to Liam.

“Teddy, careful,” Harry warns, still a couple paces back from the bed.

“It’s okay!” Teddy assures him. “I'm not gonna hurt him. Right, Daddy?” Liam doesn't say anything, but he smiles a bit, and Harry’s shoulders sag in relief. “We missed you lots, Daddy,” Teddy continues, “me and Dad were here every day waiting for you to wake up. We're really glad you're going to be okay.”

Liam takes a breath, mouth working like he's trying to say something. It takes a couple tries, but eventually he's able to rasp out, “me too.”

At the sound of Liam's voice, Teddy beams like he's just been told he gets to be the king for a day. Harry blinks rapidly to rid himself of the tears in his eyes. “Um, I'm going to get Grandma and Grandpa,” he says quickly, looking for an excuse to get out of the room. “They'll want to know Daddy's awake.” And he flees.

*

He avoids being in Liam's room for the rest of the day, though he maintains his post in the waiting room. Karen and Geoff sit with Liam until he falls back asleep, and come out with Teddy in tow. They offer to bring him back home, and Harry nods wordlessly, giving Teddy a hug and kiss goodbye and avoiding the worried looks Karen shoots him over Teddy’s head.

It's his mum who speaks up, about an hour after they left. “Why’d you run out so quick once Liam woke up? I thought this was what you wanted.”

“It is, of course it is. I want him awake, I want him better, I'm just--scared.”

“Of what?” she asks gently, squeezing his hand where it rests in hers.

“Of what it means for us,” Harry whispers. “What if--what if we don't want the same things anymore?”

“Honey,” Anne says, in that gently reprimanding tone that mothers everywhere have perfected. “How will you know that if you don't talk to him?”

“I know,” Harry says, resigned, and he does know that. He also knows refusing to communicate with Liam is how he got here in the first place. But that doesn't calm the anxiety wreaking havoc in his stomach. “I just, I love him so much, Mum,” and here he goes, getting teary-eyed again. “Jesus,” he says with a self-deprecating laugh, “I'm a disaster. I wouldn't be surprised if Liam left me.”

“Harry,” Anne says, admonishing. “Don't even say that. Listen to me, I have never, and I mean this, _never_ , seen you happier than you are with Liam. And that doesn't mean it's always perfect, it doesn't mean it will always be easy, but it means it's something worth fighting for. And if you don't fight for that, then you, Harry Styles, are not the boy I raised.”

Harry sniffs, runs his hand under his eyes and nods. “Yeah,” he says, clearing his throat. “Yeah, you're right. Thanks, Mum.”

“It's what I'm here for,” she says, and wraps her arm around his shoulder.

*

The next day finds Harry back in Liam's hospital room, Teddy lying on the bed with Liam again. Liam's improved even since the day before, a bit of color returned to his cheeks and he can talk a bit more than he could yesterday. He listens raptly while Teddy tells him all about what he got up to in the hospital while Liam was asleep. It's a rousing tale, but Teddy quiets at the end of it. 

“Daddy?” he says softly, and Liam hums in response. “Do you hurt a lot?”

“Yeah,” Liam says, voice still gravelly from disuse. “I do.”

Teddy sits up and leans over so he can drop a light kiss on the cast covering Liam's right arm. “All better?” he asks, lying back down on Liam's left side.

“All better,” Liam agrees, and Teddy smiles, closing his eyes. Ten minutes later, he's fast asleep, and the room his silent as both Liam and Harry watch him. “Haz,” Liam speaks at last, startling Harry out of his reverie. “What are you doing all the way over there?”

“I was afraid to let myself get any closer,” Harry admits softly, and Liam looks up at him, staring right into his eyes.

“Harry, I almost died, and the only thing I could think about was that I couldn't remember the last time I told you I love you. I'm so tired of us fighting. Can you please come over here?” he says, and Harry practically trips over himself in his rush to get to Liam's bedside. He falls into the chair next to the bed, grabbing Liam's hand off the bed and pressing a kiss to his fingertips.

“I'm so sorry, Liam, I love you too,” he says, breath hitching on a sob. “I love you so much. I was so scared when I got that phone call, I thought I’d lost you.”

“Can't get rid of me that easy,” Liam jokes, lips twitching up, and Harry lets out a ghastly noise, somewhere between a laugh and a sob. Liam himself laughs at that, before his face twists up in a pained grimace.

“Shit,” Harry says, “do you need more medicine? Should I move Teddy?”

“No, no it's fine,” Liam mumbles, gritting his teeth until the pain passes. “Has he been good?” he asks, glancing down at their son, still asleep.

“He's been amazing. So brave. He's definitely your son,” Harry huffs a bitter laugh. “Not sure how he's mine.”

“Harry--,”

“No, it's true,” Harry swipes at his eyes, frustrated. “I'm not brave, I'm just scared. All the time. I was so scared you were gonna leave me that I pushed you away first.”

“I'm not going to leave you,” Liam says firmly, and Harry looks up at him. Liam's eyes are boring into his, a fierce look in them. “Not ever, okay? I love you. You don't need to be scared anymore.”

Relief floods over Harry. _You don't need to be scared anymore_ , the words echo in his head, over and over until Harry's so overwhelmed he can't do anything more than press his mouth to Liam's hand repeatedly, tears falling down his cheeks.

“Shh, babe, it's okay,” Liam says, and his fingers twitch like he's trying to wipe at Harry's tears. _You don't need to be scared anymore_. Harry smiles.

“I love you,” he whispers, looking up at Liam through his teary eyelashes.

“I love you, too,” Liam says. “But Haz? You should really go home.”

“What? Why?” Harry asks, confused. He thought they had just made up, why was Liam trying to send him away?

“Babe, the nurse told me this morning that you haven't left since I was admitted. I know you're worried, I know you’re scared, but I'm going to be okay. I want you to take Teddy home tonight, I want you to get a good night’s rest in a real bed, and I don't want to see you until visiting hours start tomorrow, okay?” Liam says. “I want you to take care of yourself.”

Harry sniffles a bit pathetically. “Okay,” he says, voice small. “I can do that.”

“Good,” Liam says, and he sounds more tired than he did before. He fights to keep his eyes open, struggling to focus on Harry.

“You should rest now,” Harry says. “I've kept you up long enough.” He leans down and scoops Teddy up from his place next to Liam, adjusting him in his arms so his head rests on Harry's shoulder. “We'll see you tomorrow.”

“Bye,” Liam mutters, already half-asleep. “Love you.”

“Love you, too,” Harry whispers before he closes the door behind him.

For the first time in over a week, Harry goes home. He takes Teddy with him, and his mum tags along as well, Karen and Geoff sticking around so they could speak to Liam the next time he woke up. 

When he walks through the door, it's like all of the exhaustion he's been ignoring for the past week hits him at once, and he nearly staggers under the weight of it. He puts Teddy down, lets him run off into the other room to play with some of his toys, and his mum places a supportive hand on his lower back. 

“Let's get you to bed, hmm, sweetie?” she says, gently steering him towards the staircase. “I'll watch Teddy, cook up some dinner, but we're under strict orders from your husband for you to sleep.”

Harry just nods, trudging up the stairs and into his bedroom. He manages to kick off his jeans before he faceplants into the mattress, asleep practically before his head hits the pillow. 

*

Liam keeps steadily improving over the next few days, spending more and more time awake each day. He has a steady flow of visitors, from Harry and Teddy and his family to Louis and Niall and the lads from the station. Harry and Teddy still spend the most time with him, Teddy usually crawling right up onto the bed with him and Harry sitting in the chair by the bed, holding onto Liam’s hand. 

At the end of the week the doctors take Liam in for another X-ray and come back with the news that Liam’s ribs have healed enough that he can go home at the end of the next day. 

“You hear that, Teddy?” Harry says when the doctor tells them the news. “Daddy’s gonna come home!” 

Teddy doesn’t react with the enthusiasm Harry expects. Instead, he stares at him confusedly, eyes darting quickly from him to Liam on the bed. “Is Daddy coming home with us?” he asks. “Or is he going with Uncle Louis?”

Harry’s heart breaks all over again at the genuine confusion on Teddy’s face, and he curses his own stubbornness for the millionth time. He crouches down so that he and Teddy are at eye level. “He’s coming home with us, and he’s going to stay. Is that okay with you?” 

Teddy breaks out in a huge smile. “Yeah!” he says, rushing forward and wrapping his arms around Harry’s neck. Harry wraps his own arms around Teddy’s waist, lifting him up and settling him on his hip before turning to look at Liam, sitting up in the hospital bed with a smile on his face. Harry leans his head on top of Teddy’s and smiles back. 

When they bring Liam home the next day, Harry gets him set up on the couch before he heads into the kitchen, sorting all the different kinds of medication Liam needs to take according to the instruction sheet Dr. Fitzpatrick had sent him home with. When he finally gets everything organized, he heads back into the living room, only to stop short once he’s in the doorway. 

Liam is stretched out on the couch like Harry left him, only now he’s been half covered in stuffed animals. As Harry stands there, Teddy dashes in from the other room, stuffed giraffe clutched in his hands. “Take Pete, too, Daddy!” he says, thrusting the giraffe at him, and Liam reaches out and takes it, placing it gently next to the other plush toys on the couch. 

“Thank you, sweetie,” he says seriously, and grabs Teddy’s arm before he can run off to grab yet another animal. “Do you want to sit with me and watch a movie?”

“Okay!” Teddy says, and he climbs up on the couch. “Can we watch Toy Story?”

“Course, you know it's my favorite,” Liam says, pulling Teddy into his side before he looks up at Harry, still in the doorway. “Joining us?”

“Yeah,” Harry says, and goes to put in the film. 

Later, after Harry's carried Teddy upstairs and put him to bed, he walks down the stairs to find Liam attempting to walk down the hall, hobbling on his crutches. 

“Li,” Harry says admonishingly, going to put his arm around Liam's waist to support his weight, “you're supposed to be resting.”

“Yeah,” Liam says, a little out of breath. “I wanted to go upstairs, tell Teddy goodnight.”

Harry rolls his eyes. Liam was always the worst patient, ignoring signs of sickness until he was practically bedridden and then insisting he was fine until Harry had to force him to take medicine. “Alright, let's go.”

They struggle up the stairs together, hobbling like a three-legged monster. They honestly should have thought this through before bringing Liam home, but it’s not like they can do anything about it now. “Once you get upstairs,” Harry huffs, helping to lift Liam up another step, “you’re never coming down again.”

Liam laughs a bit, which nearly sends him off-balance, and there’s a terrifying second of vertigo before they manage to stabilize themselves, and Harry rushes them up the next few stairs until they’re safely on the landing. It’s only a few more steps from there into the master bedroom, and Harry steers Liam towards the bed, helping him to lie down before he collapses much less carefully onto the bed next to him, still slightly out of breath. 

“Never again,” he pants, and Liam turns to him, smiling. 

“Hey,” he says. “Come here.”

“I’m right here,” Harry says back, but he still scoots closer, until his head is resting next to Liam’s. 

“We should talk,” Liam says quietly. “About us.” Harry groans, burying his head in the pillow, but he still nods. 

“Okay.”

“Why did you ask for the separation?” Liam asks softly, and Harry lifts his head so he can look into Liam’s eyes. 

“You weren’t home. And you never talked to me. It got to the point where it was like the only thing we had in common was Teddy, because he was all we spoke to each other about. I didn’t know what you were doing, who you were with, anything. And it just felt like--it felt like you had given up on me. On us,” Harry admits, and it’s probably the first time he’s said it out loud. “I didn’t want to, it broke my heart to do it, but I was afraid you were staying with me out of obligation. So I thought if I cut the cord first it would hurt less. Except it didn’t,” he says with a bitter laugh. “It hurt a whole fucking lot.”

Liam closes his eyes and blows out a breath. “I’m sorry. You shouldn’t have ever had to feel that way, Haz. I should have told you this a long time ago. There was a rumour going around at the station that the captain is going to retire, and he was looking to tap me to replace him. I was working overtime, trying to prove that I was good enough.”

“Li,” Harry says softly, because this is the dream Liam’s had since Harry _met_ him, when he was still a firefighter in training. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I didn’t want to say anything until I knew for sure. Didn’t want you to be disappointed if I didn’t get it.”

“Liam,” Harry says, shaking his head. “I wish you would’ve told me.”

“Me too. I should have told you that night in the kitchen, but I got so mad when you said I wasn’t committed. I’m always committed to you, Harry. Always,” Liam says fiercely, and his eyes are burning into Harry’s. Harry stares right back.

“Same. I love you.”

“I love you, too, now will you please kiss me? It’s been months,” Liam asks, face shifting from serious into a pathetic pout in a matter of seconds. Harry laughs. 

“I guess,” he says, before he leans in and presses his mouth to Liam’s. It’s been so long, and Harry hadn’t realized until this moment just how much he had missed the feeling of Liam’s lips against his. He tries to keep it chaste, mindful of Liam’s injuries, but Liam doesn’t let him, swiping his tongue across Harry’s lower lip until Harry opens his mouth, deepening the kiss. Harry has to forcibly pull himself away, tempted to lose himself in Liam forever.

“Babe,” he pants once they’ve separated. “You’re injured. No strenuous activity.”

“Come on,” Liam whines, falling back against the bed. “It’s been months. I can just lie here, you can do all the work.”

Harry laughs in his face. “Obviously you’ve forgotten how this marriage works.”

Liam smiles. “Maybe,” he says, leaning in for another kiss. “Harry?” he murmurs when he pulls away, and Harry hums in response. “Don’t let me forget again.”

Harry opens his eyes, leans in so his forehead rests against Liam’s. “I won’t.”

*

_One year later_

“Dad!” Teddy’s voice comes from down the hall. Harry glances at the clock, then rolls over, groaning into Liam’s chest. 

“Your son is calling you,” he mumbles, and Liam grunts, making no move to get up. 

“ _Dad!_ ” Teddy yells again, and this time there’s a loud cry that comes right after it, echoed in the baby monitor sitting on the bedside table. 

“Shit,” Liam says, getting up. “I’ll get the baby, you deal with Teddy.”

Harry sits up, rubbing his eyes. “Teddy,” he calls. “Come here.”

The five-year-old barrels down the hall, sliding into view of the doorway just as Liam steps out, running a hand over Teddy’s hair before heading down to the nursery. “Dad, I don’t know where my footie uniform is, and I need to find it because we have the match today!”

Harry sighs, patting the bed next to him so Teddy can crawl in, too. “Sweetie, your game isn’t for hours, it can wait. And didn’t we tell you not to shout when your sister is sleeping?”

Teddy nods, eyes downcast. “I’m sorry,” he says, then pauses for a second. “Can I ask you something?”

“Course, anything,” Harry responds, reaching out and pushing some of Teddy’s curls out of his face. “What’s up?”

“Um, Georgie, in my class, his mum and dad are getting a, um, a divorce,” Teddy says, eyes still on the bedspread in front of him. “And I remember when last year Dad didn’t live with us, and I was wondering if you were doing that.”

“If we were getting a divorce?” Harry asks, and Teddy nods. “No, baby, no. We were fighting for a bit, and we had what’s called a separation, and sometimes that leads to a divorce, but we talked and we didn’t get one. Remember how, before we brought Issy home, Daddy and I used to go once a week and leave you with Uncle Louis? We were going to a thing called counseling, where we would talk about our problems and work them out. So, no, honey, we didn’t get a divorce, and we’re not going to get one, okay?”

“Promise?” Teddy asks, looking up at Harry with wide eyes. 

“Promise,” he says, dropping a kiss on Teddy’s curls. He looks up and catches sight of Liam standing in the doorway with a small smile on his face, bouncing their daughter in his arms. Harry looks over at the clock again. “Alright, it is too early for us all to be awake,” he says, making Teddy giggle. “Everyone in bed, we’re all going back to sleep,” he orders, and Liam obliges, climbing into the other side of the bed and gently settling Issy down in between them, placing a few pillows around her so she doesn’t roll over in her sleep. Harry lies down himself, tucking Teddy under his arm and reaching out to grasp at Liam’s hand. Liam looks back at him over their kids’ heads, and squeezes his hand. 

“Love you,” he whispers, and Harry squeezes his hand back. 

“Love you too,” he says just before he closes his eyes, warm and comfortable surrounded by his family. 

**Author's Note:**

> you can find me on tumblr [here](http://foliealou.tumblr.com) and the fic post for this [here](http://foliealou.tumblr.com/post/166836869981/dont-let-the-tide-come-and-take-me)


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